Carter Bankshares and First Commonwealth Financial Compared

Analysts see more upside potential in First Commonwealth Financial stock

Mar. 25, 2026 at 4:10am

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First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF) and Carter Bankshares (NASDAQ:CARE) are both small-cap finance companies, but analysts believe First Commonwealth Financial has more favorable growth prospects based on factors like valuation, profitability, and institutional ownership.

Why it matters

The comparison between these two regional banks provides insight into the relative strengths and weaknesses of each company, which can help investors make more informed decisions about where to allocate their capital in the finance sector.

The details

First Commonwealth Financial has a higher beta of 0.79 compared to Carter Bankshares' 0.56, indicating its stock is more volatile. However, First Commonwealth has stronger institutional ownership at 72.6% versus 41.5% for Carter Bankshares. Analysts also have a higher consensus price target of $19.75 for First Commonwealth, suggesting 14.79% upside, compared to $22.00 and 8.21% upside for Carter Bankshares. On profitability metrics like net margins, return on equity, and return on assets, First Commonwealth outperforms Carter Bankshares.

The data and analysis were published on March 25, 2026.

The players

First Commonwealth Financial

A financial holding company that provides various consumer and commercial banking services in the United States, including personal and business checking, savings, and lending products.